Abstract:As the restriction of the geographical condition, English business letter plays a major role in the international business communication. Because business conflicts in international trade are inevitable, business letter of claim plays an important part in dealing with trade conflicts and maintaining the future business relationships. For many years, many linguists have paid much attention to the language features, discourse characteristics and style of the business correspondences, etc. However, the analysis of the letter of claim is not given enough attention.

Based on Halliday’s Systemic-Functional Grammar’s interpersonal function theory, this thesis aims to analyze the mood, modality, subject, and vague language, with the research of the classification, purpose and functions of LOC, which will be combined with the case study of the 25 business letters of claim. The thesis is divided into four parts. Chapter One is an introduction of the background and the significance of the research. The literature review is presented in the Chapter Two. Chapter Three offers the detailed analysis of the interpersonal function in LOC. At last, I make a conclusion of the research and point out its limitations.

On the basis of the analysis of the interpersonal functional meaning of the LOC, the thesis hopes to make a successful conclusion about the feasible writing principles, providing good suggestions for the foreign trade personnel to lodge a claim courteously, which in turn helps resolve the trade dispute peacefully, maintain good cooperation relationships and acquire mutual benefits.

Keywords:  Letter of Claim  Systemic-Functional Grammar  interpersonal meaning

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Significance of the Research-1

1.3 The Structure of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 A Brief Introduction of Business Letter-3

2.2 Interpersonal Function in SFG-3

2.2.1 Systemic-Functional Grammar-3

2.2.2 Interpersonal Function-4

2.3 Letter of Claim (LOC)-5

2.3.1 Categories of LOC-5

2.3.2 Characteristics of LOC-5

2.3.3 Communicative Purposes-5

Chapter Three Analysis of Interpersonal Function in LOC-6

3.1 Mood in LOC-6

3.1.1 Types of Mood-6

3.1.2 Tense-7

3.2 Modality in LOC-7

3.2.1 Modal Operator in LOC-8

3.2.2 Modal Expression in LOC-9

3.2.3 Modal adverb in LOC-10

3.3 Subject in LOC-10

3.4 Vague Language in LOC-11

Chapter Four Conclusion-13

4.1 Major Findings-13

4.2 Limitations of the Research and Suggestions for Further Study-13

References-15